Well, I did it. I ruined brand new MS260

[JamesJems]

Leave it to me. I should'a known better than to think I could...

Okay. So here's what I did. I took some of your advice and modded the muffler on my saw. Brand new. Five, maybe 6 tanks of gas through it. I drilled a couple of holes, replaced the muffler and went to adjust the carb. I took the bar & chain off for safety's sake, warmed up my saw, bought a good quality screwdriver and proceeded to open it up "full chat,"as one gentlman said, and tried to slowly turn the H-screw until I could get it to change pitch ever so slightly. No such luck.

I never managed to get the darn screw to turn. It seemed too stiff. So here I was, with a wide open throttle, trying to turn the H-screw and the machine, in a matter of about a second, goes from full-tilt-boogie to full-dead-stop.

It started once again a couple of seconds later, but same story. Full-Stop.

Now, when I pull it, everything *feels* okay on the starter rope, but nothin' doin.' No go. Zip. Zilch. Nothing but a dreadful sinking feeling.

I thought RPMs were limited by factory settings to 14000 or so....did I overdo it? How? By taking the bar/chain off for safety? When I had the saw's throttle up, it didn't sound higher than normal.Did I just cause my new saw to seize?

Just how screwed am I? I can tell you all now, this do-it-yourself sort of stuff might not be for me seeing that I just ruined a new saw. I think I'll pay someone who's grown up playing with these things from now on to adjust my carb.

God, I'm mad at myself for thinking I could do something simple by myself. I'm so mad I could just spit.

james the IDIOT.

 

[Urbicide]

I feel for you. On the positive spin you could consider this a "learning experience." Just don't make the same mistake twice. Have you pulled the muffler off to peak into the cylinder yet?

 

[CaseyForrest]

When Im adjusting a carb, I like to start out rich and lean it out to where its supposed to be.

You may or may not have toasted the P&C. You need to pull the muffler back off and see what the piston looks like.

 

[sawinredneck]

OUCH!!!!!!!!!! Before we say anthing rash, pull off the muffler and get back to us!!!!!!

Next, always have a bar and chain on when adjusting the carb!!!!

Now, go pull the muffler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andy

 

[JamesJems]

No... I was so upset that after I posted the original message, I went outside to try it again. It's been, what, 20 minutes? It sounded like it wanted to start, so I choked it and it started, reved up to about half on it's own and then quit again.

What's that sound like to you guys who know? Did I actually manage toturn the H-screw all the way to the left (richer) without feeling it?

I think I'll rename myself "should'a known better."

j

 

[Lakeside53]

Leave the bar and chain on... And you can't adjust the H screw without taking the limiter caps off. Modding your muffler probably only raised your RPM 400-700 anyhow, and the Stihl Max rpm is 14k, plus or minus 1000... so that likely didn't do it.. unless.... how long did you run he saw at wide open? If you did it for say 30 seconds, that would be bad... 5-10 second is all I do with a newish saw, or any saw for that matter.

Casey is right - pull the muffler - you may not have a problem, and it you do you won't know unless you do. Check your plug - it may have been bridged with a tiny piece of carbon.

RPM is NOT limited by the factory - it's LIMITED by your carb adjustment...

Any chance you ran out of gas? Seriously..

 

[JamesJems]

Andy, thanks for taking an interest....

I've got to go pull the muffler...Okay, I'll do that. but what am I looking for? I only have a small windo to see the edge of the piston and the saw is new.....If it's all messed up beyond repair, will it glow some sort of weird radioactive green?

(laughing..) I mean, I haven't a clue...

james

 

[Haywire Haywood]

You will be looking for vertical scratches in the piston. Pull the starter rope slowly to get it into view thru the exhaust port.

Ian

 

[Lakeside53]

Andy, thanks for taking an interest....

I've got to go pull the muffler...Okay, I'll do that. but what am I looking for? I only have a small windo to see the edge of the piston and the saw is new.....If it's all messed up beyond repair, will it glow some sort of weird radioactive green?

(laughing..) I mean, I haven't a clue...

james

If you get really messed up, or glow green, drive down and I'l look at it for you! Seriously..

 

[JamesJems]

Well I took off the muffler and peered inside...

And saw discoloration and vertical scratches on the piston.

and oil seeping down from above. Wiping it away with a clean cloth, I still see discoloration and scratches.

How bad is it?

I think I attached a photo of the piston.

 

[aquan8tor]

not good

 

[Big Woody]

I'd say you need to give a call to "Houston"

 

[Tzed250]

parts

might have eaten a circlip

 

[CaseyForrest]

Well I took off the muffler and peered inside...

And saw discoloration and vertical scratches on the piston.

and oil seeping down from above. Wiping it away with a clean cloth, I still see discoloration and scratches.

How bad is it?

I think I attached a photo of the piston.

I see quite a few P&C sets on Ebay for the 026/260, that will probably be your best bet.

 

[JamesJems]

Well...let me first thank you all for telling me what I already knew...

And I think it's best to put this into proper perspective. See, I'm a teacher. And we have good days and bad days...After the end of a bad day, one has to reevaluate just how bad it really was. Did someone get hurt? or worse, molested? (no.) Was their ego a bit bruised (perhaps).

So I'm taking the long view on this one. Of all the things that could've gone wrong with me and this saw, my own bruised ego is perhaps the least injurious on the list. No cuts, no sutures, only profound embarassment and a hole in my pocketbook.

I won't even think about a warranty claim. I did this to myself. Period. I'm gonna suck it up and pay for it.


....but man...even after getting philosophical and stuff...this SUCKS.

:taped:

 

[bobbyb13]

D.o.a

Looks like mine did when the electrode came off the plug. These guys can and do perform unbelieveable things. They probably come up with a jug and piston for you.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

yep, major surgery is in order there. Don't worry tho. If I can do it, anyone can. believe me on that one. All it takes is money for parts and some basic mechanical abilities.

Ian

 

[McC]

That looks pretty bad. I feel sorry for you to mess up such a nice new saw. But, it can be fixed.
Scott

 

[drmiller100]

the good news is you are about to have more learning experiences.

she's glowing nuclear green.

remove the jug, remove the piston, take the jug ot a good saw shop and have them de-aluminum it and buy a new piston.

reinstall piston making sure to get circlip correct, lube everything with lots to 2 stroke oil, pour a teaspoon of oil down the crankcase, reinstall jug, put plastic back on, start it up.

Would take me 2 hours total. Will probably take you 4 hours total. Just have fun, and tear into it!!!

quit revving it up with no load. So who is the idiot that claims they can jet a modern saw by holding it WOT with no load??????

 

[drmiller100]

i'll bet you 5 bucks you can easily save the jug. lean burn down can tear up the cylinder, but they almost always tear it up below the exhaust port where it really doesn't matter.

if it makes you feel better, i've got probably 2 dozen pistons from stuff I've done. it's all good........